1 Kilo and counting...

(this is an old pic of Logan.. like... more than a month... but its all I have right now!!)

Yesterday Little Logan gave his daddy (Lance) one heck of a birthday gift!! He reached ONE KILO!!! YEAH LOGAN!!!!

Logan has had a couple of rough days lately in Cleveland... but he is hanging in there and doing his best to sleep, grow, and gain weight! *Don't we all wish that those were our marching orders!!** One kilo is a big milestone though and they say that once a baby gets to a kilo gaining weight seems to get a lot easier!!

Anyway, just wanted to give you an update for those of you who are still praying for the little guy! THANK YOU!!!

PS. My other little guy... Nickolas... my other nephew is starting Kindergarten on Tuesday. He doesn't really need your prayers... but his teacher sure does!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hahahaa!! REally though... not kidding!!!

Tar Hollow

I am sitting here realizing that I didn't tell you all about what an amazing week I had at camp!!!



Ok... that may be because it wasn't always amazing and awesome and awe inspiring. It was full of hard stuff, challenging situations, and tough circumstances. It was full of drama.



But you know what else? Camp was great! I had a great time with people I only see once a year (that's unfortunate!). I laughed at things that made no sense, talked about things that were vaguely important, and beaded lots of bracelets.



I love camp. I love going. I love seeing the kids get there and the staff arrive and everyone being all excited about being together again. I love watching people stress out on Saturday night and Sunday and not know what to do about this or that... and then I love to watch God show up and blow all of our planning and worries right out of the water. I love to see kids love on each other for a week.


That's what has taken me back year after year since high school... and next year it will be 10 years I have spent in the crazy hollow between the 4 big hills that we lovingly call "camp!"


Camp is good. One of these years I fully intend to show up there and NOT be so tired from the rest of the summer that I want to pass out all week.



Thanks friends for another great year at old Tar Hollow. Thanks for changes... and thanks for those sacred cows.... God is good!!



(Shout out here to Charlotte for the great pics... you ROCK!!)

LIfe is so odd.....

(my feet hit the Red Square in Moscow... I never have pictures of ME in places, so I take pictures of my FEET in places... I am so odd.)

So...

I am home.

Home from nearly 3 months of never getting quite enough sleep. Home from 3 months of remotely warm showers... living out of bags and plastic boxes... drying off my shampoo each time I finish using it... eating mass produced food... having constantly dirty feet.

I am home.

Home from 3 months of spending time with amazing people who challenged the way I live and the way I think. Home from 3 months of amazing sunsets over lakes, trees, cities, and friends... living in community with people I grew to love... flying for hours and even days on airplanes to far away lands that became my home... experiencing life without ever sitting and relaxing, but always embracing each minute.

I am home.

On one hand it is good to be back with my dog and my bed. It is good to be able to sleep. It is good to be able to eat what I want, when I want it. It is good to be able to be quiet and still.

On the other hand, I miss savoring my few hours of sleep, knowing I had drained every bit of life from the day. I miss sharing meals with people who don't think like I do and challenge my faith. I miss friends new and old that I got to "do life" with this summer.

I won't miss the drama... but I will miss the passion.
I won't miss the exhaustion... but I will miss the anticipation.
I won't miss the unknowns... but I will miss the freedom.

So... I am home. It will take a long time for me to put into words or even into comprehensible thought my experiences of this amazing, exhausting summer.

Today it will be 105 degrees (heat index) in my office. I will sit at my desk and do my work.

Soon enough fall will be here.... and I will fall headfirst into the craziness all over again. This time though, I fall knowing how amazingly blessed I truly am... and aware that there is a great big adventure beyond here... waiting for me to make a decision.

What to do, what to do....

(my feet come home to the Sulphur Grove youth house.)

Things I learned in Russia

So... I just got back from spending about 10ish days in Russia. (Its confusing with the time differences and the traveling... etc!). Anyway... I got back last night. Tonight I am at the youth house... life is so odd.

Last night I slept in my bed. I love my bed. I love it because it is in my house, with my family and my dog. I would have slept on the floor if I had to. I love home... I don't get to be there much, but I love it. So... I learned some things while I was in Russia last week.. here they are... some interesting, some heartfelt... all true.

#1. Riding in a "double decker" plane? Not really that thrilling. Kinda just like any other plane by hour 2 of 8.
#2. I could drive in Russia... their driving? Right up my alley! Plus, I would do MUCH better without HAVING to stay in my own lane!
#3. Embracing every opportunity to connect with another culture? Pretty much my key to my existence.
#4. Cleanliness, sanitation, and variety in the food available? Unfortunately (but truly) are luxuries of the rich (aka. North Americans).
#5. Cabbage won't kill you.
#6. People who complain too much should really just stay home. AND people who complain in front of the people who are hosting them... they should REALLY stay home.
#7. Anytime someone makes you a meal you should be thankful for their gift of hospitality, you should NEVER say things like... more soup? more bread? unrecognizable proteins? hotdogs?
#8. Characterizing everything you see in a country as "Russian this" or "Russian that" makes you look ignorant for lumping together a country and one small (somewhat sheltered) encounter you had with it.

There you have it. 8 things I learned. Also I learned to love more fully. I learned to embrace those whose language I do not speak. I learned to be ashamed that I haven't made more efforts to become bilingual. I learned to worship fully with youth and children in a foreign language and place. I learned that God is working in mighty ways in an amazing country. I learned that I am a far different traveler than most people are.

I learned that I CAN love another country as much as I love Brazil and it doesn't mean I have to love Brazil (or Costa Rica) less.

I learned to look for Jesus wherever I go.

I learned the art of coming home.

Today I am good. Thanks for reading!